Sweden and Ukraine win

Football

Mon, 16 Nov 2015

Paris: European football paid tribute to the victims of attacks in Euro 2016 hosts France during Saturday’s qualifying play-offs which saw Sweden edge Denmark 2-1 and Ukraine beat Slovenia 2-0 in first leg ties.

A minute’s silence was observed before Saturday’s games for victims of the Paris attacks on Friday, one of which was outside the Stade de France where world champions Germany were playing a friendly against France.

In Solna, Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his ninth goal in as many qualifiers as Sweden took a slight advantage over 1992 champions Denmark.

Ibrahimovic converted a second half penalty after Emil Forsberg had scored his first international goal on the stroke of half-time. But substitute Nicolai Jorgensen grabbed an away-goal lifeline for Denmark 10 minutes from time ahead of the second leg in Copenhagen on Tuesday.

A backheel from Jimmy Durmaz allowed Mikael Lustig to sprint away down the right flank and his pass reached Forsberg at speed and the Leipzig winger buried a first-time shot into the corner past Kasper Schmeichel.

The Denmark goalkeeper rescued his team just before the half-time whistle with a diving save to deny Ibrahimovic’s free-kick.